Shadows of Former Selves
by PookythePenguin
Summary: Two broken souls find comfort in one another. Set five years after the war, Aang tries to save the princess that once killed him. But, what he may not realize is that she may be the one saving him. Zutara/Azulaang. Rated T for now, we'll see how well this goes. ;D My first fanfiction, so R & R! : Constructive Criticism is always welcome.
1. Chapter 1

_**Shadows of Former Selves**_

Landing at the gates of the palace, his stormy gray eyes filled with excitement at the prospect of seeing his friends again. Being the Avatar, it was his duty to bring balance and harmony to the four nations. But the recent rebellions that have sprung up in the Earth Kingdom had seriously devoted most of his time to negotiating peace. He breathed a silent sigh of relief, for it was Zuko who called the meeting between them, although he did not specify why. Shifting his weight, he shot a quick burst of air from his hands, rocketing himself out of the saddle. After giving Appa a quick hug as a token of appreciation, Aang turned to face the palace.

It has been nearly five years since the hundred year war, yet the man that stood before the gates almost barely resembled the young air-bending child five years before. He was strong, his body finely crafted and honed in that of a veteran warrior, not a young boy. His eyes seemed to match this transformation, as those infinitely deep gray pools seemed to reflect hundreds of years of knowledge and the burdens carried by the Avatar. He still had that slight twinkle in his eyes, giving him the youthful vigor and immaturity that still existed. And yet, he still carried that angry star-shaped scar on his back was a chilling reminder of what was, and what should have been. His thoughts slowly wandered again towards a certain waterbender.

Katara… it has been nearly a year since he had last spoken to her. There was a certain emptiness in his heart that could not be filled or healed because of her. Peering at the gates of the palace with longing eyes, he held back silent tears as he remembered the night he was supposed to propose to her. He had carved an engagement necklace, one that matched the one she wore in style, and he was willing to give everything to her. He sighed deeply as he placed his hands into his pocket, finding the engagement necklace he had buried away, along with his heart.

It was just that Zuko beat him to it.

He had found that the young Firelord had already asked her hand in marriage, the brilliant sapphire and ruby ring that adorned the young water-bender's ring finger made it official. No words could still express the pain and hurt that he went through. He simply tucked away his broken heart and necklace into the deepest pit of his being and congratulated the new couple. After all, if she was happy, why shouldn't he be too?

Realizing that he had been daydreaming, he gently shook his head. Now was not the time to dwell on the past. He had a task to complete, a duty to fulfill. With a certain grace only found in an airbender, Aang briskly strode down the hallway toward the Firelord's personal office. The ornate red and gold tapestries lined both sides of the hallway, followed by portraits of the royal family. Approaching the office door, Aang quickly adjusted his robes. Even if he was the Avatar, one should not look shabby in front of royalty. Always displaying a sense of courtesy, Aang knocked on the door slightly. He chuckled to himself slightly at the thought of how Toph would have just barged right in if she were in the same situation.

"Come in." echoed a gruff voice within.

Aang slowly entered, and was immediately struck by the uncanny neatness of the Firelord's office. Normally strewn with books, parchment, and scrolls in every corner, everything seemed to have been put back in place. Having the future Firelady around to help him out did have its perks. Approaching the desk, Aang bowed slightly to his old friend.

"It's good to see you again, Firelord Zuko." slightly ceremoniously, a slight grin stretching across both men's faces.

"Come on Aang. You can do better than that."

And with that, Zuko came across and gave the monk a friendly embrace, reminding them both that friendships can transcend all titles and differences.

"I was thinking that Katara would be here too…" Aang said with a tinge of sadness, trying to avoid Zuko's gaze.

"She had to return to the Southern Water Tribe for some family matters." Zuko briskly replied.

A moment of silence cut through the two men.

"So how was the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko asked, trying to initiate the conversation.

"It's definitely better now," the young monk responded, showing his trademark optimism, "Most of the rebellion has quieted down."

"That's great to hear Aang. Actually, that's one of the reasons why I called you here." said Zuko, prodding at the airbender's natural curiosity.

"And what would that be?"

"Well, since the Earth Kingdom finally regained control over the rebellion, they are requesting a trial for compensation for losses during the Hundred Years War." Zuko's amber eyes seemed to darken at the thought and it didn't take long for Aang to figure out what the Earth Kingdom was looking for.

"Azula…" Aang sighed, leaning against the desk. The very thought of the fire princess sent a tingling sensation down his spine. After all, it was she who shot the lightning that actually killed him. "I thought she was locked up in that mental asylum."

"Well, reports show that she has fully recovered, and the Earth Kingdom is taking their chance to get revenge." Zuko replied grimly. "The Earth Kingdom is taking their chance to exact their vengeance towards the princess who singlehandedly took down their supposedly unbreakable city of Ba Sing Se." Knowing the odds now stacked against her, Aang knew that the only outcome of the trial would end in blood shed.

"Why do you need me?" inquired the Avatar, his troubled mind further clouded with the new-found predicament.

"You see… I want you to personally escort Azula to the Earth Kingdom trial, which will take place in a week." There was a hardness in Zuko's voice, one that he must have developed over the years of being Firelord.

Considering everything that the fallen princess had done to him, Aang should have accepted these terms without hesitation. But something inside of him nagged at his conscience, that this was wrong, that there must be a better way. Whether it was his airbending teachings that stopped him or his sense of compassion, something caused him to think twice. Everyone deserved someone to believe in them to give them a second chance, even if it was Azula.

"I… I'll do it…" he uttered. Nervously shifting his weight again, he felt as if he was giving out a death warrant with his very words.

Zuko, noticing Aang's slight distaste towards the notion, gave him a reassuring hand on the Avatar's shoulder. Katara's caring personality must have rubbed off on him.

"I know you must feel bad. But this is something you must do, so the ties between the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom can be rebuilt." Zuko said, with the same hardness. "I'm sure in the end, you will pull through this." a reassuring smile on his face.

* * *

Riding alongside the clouds in the darkening sky, Aang rode on Appa's back in silent contemplation. As he had promised, he was traveling to the asylum where Azula was held. Gently rubbing his forehead, he watched listlessly around him as the clouds raced by him. Reaching their destination, Aang lowered the bison, eliciting a groan from Appa, landing in front of the marble white building that stood before them.

There was a slight sense of regality that seemed to emanate from the pallid structure of the building. It was specifically built for the intentions of housing and treating the fire princess, as per Firelord Zuko's command. Zuko's sense of distrust for his own flesh and blood seemed to know no bounds, since the building was treated more like a maximum security prison than a hospital for the mentally insane. Guards patrolled the perimeter 24 hours a day, all for just one person. _Could she really be that bad? _Aang pondered to himself, as he made his way towards the front of the building. As he approached, a slender man in his mid-forties stepped forward from the group of guards.

"It's an honor to meet you Avatar. I am Captain Liu, overseer of this facility. Firelord Zuko has told me about your arrival."

"The pleasure is mine, Captain. So, where are they keeping Azula?"

"She's held on the top floor. I will direct you to her cell, please follow me."

Walking past the double doors, the men were greeted with a large and brightly-lit stairwell leading up to the princess' room. All the while, Aang still could not shrug off the confusion that he felt towards the fallen princess. She may have tried to kill him once before, but did she deserve everything she was going through? Even the way the captain mentioned her "cell" made him cringe. The sea of thoughts washed through him as they approached a large metal door, bolted shut.

"Here we are. My guards will escort you into the cell…" Captain Liu motioned some of the guards towards the bolts.

"Wait, I would like to speak to her alone, Captain." Aang replied, turning to face the captain.

Taken aback, but still keeping his composure, the captain replied, "With all due respect Avatar Aang, even you wouldn't be safe in a cell alone with that… that…monster…"

"I've faced her once and survived, haven't I?" a playful grin plastered across his face, "Don't worry, Captain, I can handle this."

Stepping towards the door, the guards quickly unlocked the door and let the Avatar inside. Aang felt as if he was stepping into unknown territory as he walked further into Azula's cell, or what seemed to turn out to be a two room living space. The resonating sound of the bolts shutting themselves again echoed throughout the rooms, leaving an eerie silence to permeate through the space around him. It struck him immediately that the room resembled more of a simple bedroom than a jail cell. He barely had time to call out for her when he heard her all-to familiar commanding voice from the other room,

"What part of 'Get Out!' do you not understand? I thought I told you fools to leave me alo-"

For the first time in many years, Azula was caught off guard. There was a flicker in her amber eyes as she recognized that it was in fact Aang that stood before her. There was a hesitation, a moment of weakness that just as quickly disappeared as she regained herself, returning to her usual stone-cold glare. She folded her arms, shooting a venomous stare in his direction.

"Come to finally kill me, Avatar?" she whispered tauntingly, trying to bait him.

"Quite the opposite actually. I've come to help you." He took a few steps closer to her.

"Help me?" she cackled, "That's rich, Avatar. After all I've done to you, still you stand next to your self-righteous goals." malice filling every word, "You might as well get out now, because it will never work."

Aang didn't know what to do in the current situation, but deep down, something told him that Azula was hiding something, hiding something behind her stubborn refusal. Call it his Avatar instincts, but he knew Azula needed help. That somewhere inside that angry exterior, there was a lost soul crying out for help, and he was determined to find it.

"You know I'm not going to give up that easily." he replied impishly, causing her to cast another glare at him. After a brief moment of silence, she sighed and slowly turned back to the bedroom.

"Unless you plan on standing guard all night, I suggest you leave. I'm going to sleep." There was no way that even the Avatar should be able to sway her thoughts.

"I'm seriously considering it." replied Aang. There was a sense of playfulness in the Avatar's voice that always irked her to no end. It was an unfamiliar air for the princess, where everyone always seemed to cower in fear around her. Only the Avatar was the exception. She shot him another hateful glare as she slid under the covers and turned away from the Avatar, who had the nerve to pull up a chair next to her bed.

She may be the calm, cool, and collected person she was on the outside, but on the inside she was a mess. The arrival of the Avatar to her supposed "cell" threw her off. _He must be here to observe me, _she thought to herself. Her weakling of a brother Zuko must have sent him to see if she was fully recovered. She knew better than to believe the Avatar's façade, there was a motive behind him, and was determined to figure it out. Before the grasp of sleep took her in, there was one final thought that came up into the fire princess' mind. _Maybe… just maybe… he's actually here to help. Maybe he won't leave like everyone else did…_

Sitting next to the sleeping Azula, Avatar Aang was also lost within his own thoughts. Everything he had noticed about her seemed to show that nothing has changed. The old fiery-tempered princess that displayed no sense of compassion or humanity, the honor-bound child that killed him in the catacombs was still asleep before him. But he wanted something more, because unlike everyone else, he pitied her. When he looked at her, he no longer saw a monster, but a soul misguided, lost even.

"Aang…aang…"

He snapped to attention the moment those words came out of her mouth. He glanced over to her, surprised to see that she was still asleep, her black hair cascading down her face and neck. _She's so pretty... _It was a thought that brought a quick blush to his face. Gingerly, he leaned over and whispered, almost to himself,

"What is it?"

"Don't leave… Don't leave like everyone else…"

He blinked, staring wide-eyed at the young woman sleeping at his side. He had never imagined in a million years that Azula would ever come across as needy, asking for help and from the Avatar no less. This was the chance he wanted, the proof he needed for himself that there was something else with Azula. He placed his hand on hers, feeling her heat emanating from her palm in pulses,

"I won't."

And with that, he leaned back against the chair. He welcomed the calming embrace of sleep as he drifted farther and farther into the never-ending darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

_She glanced around nervously as she made her way down the damp halls of the Fire Lord's palace. She paused, shivering as she tried to get her bearings, looking for some warmth within her but finding none. _

_For some strange reason, the walls around her seemed to have lost its color, its luster. It was as if their vibrancy was slowly being snuffed out, reflecting the image of the girl that stood before them. She was no longer Azula, the feared fire-breathing princess of Fire Lord Ozai. No, not anymore. Now, she was little more than a husk, a shell of her broken, former self. _

_Suddenly, the walls began to crumble, collapsing into the never-ending dark abyss below her feet. She gave a silent scream as she fell through the floor, plummeting down into the darkness. Her feet caught solid ground as she landed on a white tiled floor, crumpling to the floor from the impact. White-washed walls surrounded her, as she recognized her room at the mental asylum, only devoid of any furniture. Slowly, she painfully regained her energy as she forced herself up. She winced as she moved; her body felt like a ton of bricks. She held the tears that were now burning inside her skull. She never wanted it to turn out like this. She turned, hoping to see something…anything…anyone. _

_A corpse on the tiles greeted her view. _

_It was not just any corpse. _

_It was __**her**__ corpse. _

_She gazed in awe as she stared at her own, lifeless body. Azula stared on in horror as she stared into her own lifeless face, those glazed eyes staring back into her. There was no lying to the dead. Never in her life has she ever felt fear like she did right now, those lifeless eyes staring deep into her soul. It was then that her full terror became realized, for the corpse's faded lips began to move, whispering a message for her: _

"_You have failed. Now, you truly have nothing." _

_She screamed. _

* * *

She gasped as she awoke, a cold sweat covering her pale visage. The pale white walls of her asylum room surrounded her once again. She gripped her covers tightly, turning her head as she shut her eyes, trying as hard as she could to forget what had transpired in her dream last night. _They keep getting worse and worse_, she thought to herself, once she regained her sense of reality. She sighed heavily. Keeping up with all the moments of mental insanity are getting harder and harder.

The Avatar.

She turned slowly to the chair where the young monk was sitting last night. She was surprised by the thought that deep down, she half expected him to still be sitting there.

Sadly, the solitary view of a wooden chair greeted her. To her bemusement, a single sheet of paper was left, folded and sealed on the chair seat. There was not a shred of doubt in her mind that it was a note from the great Avatar himself. She furrowed her brow as she wondered why the all-powerful Avatar would write a letter to the fallen fire princess, who was not even worth spitting at. Gingerly, she picked up the letter and instantly she noticed that a small object was attached inside the letter. _Perhaps a parting gift, _she sarcastically thought. Just as carefully, she opened the letter and spilt out its contents.

It was a key. The key to her cell door.

She blinked in amazement as she stared in disbelief. _Is this some kind of cruel joke?_ The Avatar had a lot of explaining to do…

_Dear Princess Azula, _

_It has come to my attention that you are much more capable of being a human being than I was previously led on to believe. The only problem is that no one else seems to think the same way. So, being the Avatar, I am taking matters into my own hands. Here is the key to your cell door. I took the liberty of "borrowing" it from a guard last night before I left. I have left your door unlocked. I trust that you will know what I want you to do. _

_Don't take this as an act of good grace or charity. You still have to prove to me that you are willing and able to change. So this will be your first test. I want you to meet me at the Southern Air Temple when you get out. Then, we can start working on your full recovery. Be warned though, if you choose not to come, I will have no choice but to hunt you down and hand you over to the Earth Kingdom, which I am not readily willing to do. So, for the good of both of us, I look forward to seeing you at the Air Temple. _

_Sincerely, _

_Avatar Aang_

For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, she did not expect this to happen. Of all the people in the world that have come to help her, it was the man that she had sworn to end that came to her rescue. Idly fingering the solid metal key, she smirked at the irony of her current situation. _Perhaps I have misjudged him_, she thought.

Azula's thoughts quickly turned to the bolted door that would eventually lead to her salvation. It was a thick metal door, locked by two large bolts and a lock. She recalled that every day at 12 noon, the door would be opened and a guard would quickly slide through her daily rations, which were pitiful at best. Every day, there was would be the metallic scraping of the bolts being opened and then the click of an unlocked door. All she had to do now was wait for the bolts to open. Being locked in this prison for five years without a single instance of attempted escape, she knew pretty well that the guards would not suspect what was to come.

Swiftly, she got out of bed and began preparations for her escape. She glanced at the clock that hung on one of the walls. _11:45 A.M. Right on time, _she thought as she silently moved closer to the door. Azula knew that by now, her bending had severely weakened, as being locked up for five years without training can do that. Nevertheless, even without her bending, she knew could use the surprise and confusion of the guards to her advantage. _With any luck, I'll pull through alive_, she contemplated.

It was then that she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps getting closer and closer. She readied herself into a stance as she positioned herself at the mouth of the door. As usual, the two metallic scraping sounds of the bolts rang in her ears.

Showtime.

* * *

Sitting inside Zuko's private office, the young monk contemplated last night's turn of events. Crossing his legs, he could only hope that he had done the right thing. On the other side of the desk, Fire Lord Zuko stared worriedly at his friend.

"So, how your meeting last night with Azula go?" Zuko blurted, rather awkwardly to the young monk. The air between the two men never really cleared ever since Katara decided to switch sides.

"It was…uneventful. She didn't really respond." Aang replied. He knew he was lying between his teeth. He thanked the spirits that Toph wasn't there.

"Oh, well that's a relief…"

Just then, there was a curt knock on the Fire Lord's door. As Zuko bade him to enter, a gray haired man in his 50s entered. From the quick stride to the worried face that he carried, it was obvious that he was bringing in bad news. Aang knew full well what the matter was about.

"Fire Lord Zuko, I have urgent news." There was a slight tremble in the his voice.

"Speak, Advisor Jee."

"It's Azula. Shes…escaped." The gray-haired man cringed slightly, awaiting Zuko's reaction. Zuko's eyes widened at this realization.

"That's impossible! The building was built especially to hold her!" Zuko replied, clearly in disbelief. There was twinge of doubt within his words though. He knew what Azula was capable of.

"I'm sorry sir. We're doing everything we can find her. Unfortunately, she left no survivors…"

Zuko, finally getting a grip on the situation, sank back down into his chair as he regained his composure. He glanced quickly towards the Avatar, who was equally in disbelief, appearing deep in thought. At least he had to act the part.

"Thank you Advisor. If you'll excuse us now, I'd like to speak to the Avatar in private."

Jee curtly acknowledged the man's request, bowing and closing the door behind him.

This time, it was Aang who started the conversation.

"I'll go and look for her." He turned towards Zuko, trying to sound as serious as possible.

"I guess that's the best way to start. But be careful, don't forget who you're up against." Zuko warned sternly. Even after five years in a mental asylum, Zuko was sure that Azula was still a threat.

"Thanks Zuko. I'll keep it in mind. Take care of Katara for me okay?" Even after all this time, he still couldn't let her go quite yet.

"You know I will Aang. Good luck."

And with that, the two men quickly exchanged friendly smiles and a warm hug. Aang couldn't really blame Zuko for what happened. He tucked his troubles away as he walked out of Zuko's private office and out into the stables where Appa was waiting, happily chewing away at the hay.

Aang gave Appa a quick pet on the nose as he leapt onto the _saddle_. "Hey buddy, you miss me?" A quick groan from the sky bison was the only reply as a quick _Yip Yip_ sent the pair soaring though the sky, high above the palace. He had no intentions of searching for Azula. He only hoped that she would pull through as he made his way towards the Southern Air Temple.

The young monk always took comfort that when he was traveling alone with Appa, he could have time to think and contemplate life's issues. He peered up into the now dark night sky as he let his mind wander. The full moon was shrouded in the clouds, leaving only the stars to illuminate the Avatar's path. This time, his mind wandered not towards Katara, but towards the fire princess that he was currently trying to save. He heaved a deep sigh as he recalled how troubled she always looked, even when asleep.

_If I could save only one person, at least let me save her,_ he hoped to himself. He couldn't describe the feelings that he felt towards Azula at this point, but he was sure it was no longer fear or hate. But one thing was for sure, he promised himself that he would try to save her, regardless of what the world thought.

One could only imagine the Avatar's overwhelming joy when one week later, a lone figure made its way into the Southern Air Temple. They were dressed rather poorly, a tattered brown cloak and hood was all that covered the figure's body and face. But Aang did not need ceremonial procession to know who was hiding under that cloak.

"It's good to see you again, Azula."

* * *

**A****_uthor's Note: _**

**_I do believe an apology is in order for the incredibly late update. I've been vacationing with my folks, which does not leave me a lot of time to let my mind wander and to have the story written. So, a most sincere sorry for everyone and anyone who is following this story. _**

**_Now a few words about this chapter. I originally wanted to do a Evangelion-esque nightmare scene in which Azula talks to herself and contemplates her past and her failures. But I didn't like how it turned out, but I'm hoping this is a suitable replacement. I hope the length of this chapter does not become an issue; it is a little short. But anyways, we'll take this story slow, with any luck, I'll get more character development into this shindig :)_**

**_And for those of you with a insatiable hunger for Azulaang fluff, don't worry, it's coming :)_**


	3. Chapter 3

It was nearing evening, and yet Avatar Aang could still make out the thin figure making her way up the steps of the Southern Air Temple. If those five years had done anything to her, it definitely made her a shadow of her former self. Setting aside his glider staff, Avatar Aang stood as he approached the pallid figure. He secretly made a mental note to make sure that he would try everything to get the old Azula back. From the look of it, the calm features that always surrounded Aang seemed to betray his taste; he preferred to have a woman with a bite.

_All of those years of being peace-loving must've taken its toll_, he chuckled to himself, as he remembered a certain waterbender to like it fairly rough. It was a fleeting thought as he quickly pushed it out his mind, turning his attention back towards Azula.

Nothing about the brown-cloaked figure could have given away that hiding within the cloak was the former fire princess, though Aang never really gave up the title of "princess".

"It's good to see you again, Azula," a light smile gracing his facial features. As expected, all the fire princess did was return a scowl.

"As if I had anywhere else to go," crossing her arms, staring towards the Avatar. Even after all the years, she still had an air of regality to her that she could never drop. Still there was an unmistakable limp as she walked over towards the Avatar.

"Azula! You're hurt! Let me heal you." It was a sincere offer, one that would have surprised the old Azula. But if she was even remotely surprised, she kept it under her stony demeanor.

"I don't need your charity!" she spat back, "It's not anything major…"

"You're limping, Azula. That's kinda major. Please, just let me heal you."

"Why must you be so insistent Avatar? I already said no! And to think you managed to get with that filthy waterbending peasant." She threw that one out as bait, seeing if he would bite. But Aang had a lot more restraint than that. Even though he had all but forgotten about Katara, the way Azula mentioned her still left a sting in him.

"Well, my job as the Avatar is to help everyone I can. I'm pretty sure you're included," that slight smile returning to his face.

_Agni, he's persistent_. The old Azula would have had no trouble batting away the annoying little boy. But something inside tugged on her to take him up on his offer though. She was pretty banged up after all. The prison break was not as big of a cakewalk as she thought it would be. She sighed, the old Azula would've stood her ground.

But she's not the old Azula.

"Fine, since you enjoy pestering me this much, I'll grant you this." Even when caving into the Avatar's request, she still wanted to maintain an air of authority.

Showing weakness was not her thing.

Instantly, Aang's face lit up as he swiftly grabbed Azula's hand, which for the first time, she doesn't return with a burst of blue flame. _I guess this is for the best, _as she resigned herself to her fate.

"Great! I already have a room set aside for you! Follow me!"

That goofy grin, the one she hated so much, was present on his face as he led her into the temple. And yet, she couldn't help but blush at the thought of Aang thinking about her. _ He was…thinking about me? _

The old Azula would have not felt this way.

As Aang dragged her along the cracked temple walls, she tuned out what the Avatar was yapping about. She just assumed that it was some airbending nomad gibberish that she had no intentions of learning about.

They paused in front of a room. It was rather simple and small, with air nomad markings adorning the doorway and walls. Aside from the markings and the stone walls, it was fairly reminiscent of her cell. Azula had gotten fairly used to a simple living space, so she didn't really complain.

"So, you like it?" Aang stared at her expectantly, almost like a child asking their mother a question.

"It will do," she curtly replied.

Out from a waterskin pouch from his side, the Avatar quickly bent some water into a bowl on the bedstand.

"So, I guess I could start healing your wounds. Sit down on the bed and show me the worst injuries first." Aang motioned her towards the bed, which she reluctantly obliged. She sat down on the bed, removing her cloak and placing it on the table. She still had her loose prison garb underneath, which was much more revealing than she wanted for the Avatar. Slowly, she motioned towards her left ankle.

"My left ankle. I might have fractured it."

Silently, Aang motioned over to her left leg, creating two water gloves to check the ankle. As he rested his hands over her left ankle, a pale glow began to emanate from the area. Instantly, there was a cool sensation rushing up her leg, tingling her spine. A wave of relaxation washed over her as Aang pulled his hands off, leaving the ankle soothed and refreshed.

"I think that did the trick. How do you feel?" That boy sure did have optimism.

"It's better. Thank you Avatar." It was the most genuine word of thanks she had given in a long time. Aang furrowed his brow slightly.

"Azula, I would really like it if you just called me Aang," he enunciated the syllables to his name in an almost teasingly manner.

She never found a need to address the Avatar that way. In her past he was always the Avatar, the target of her search, the goal that she was seeking. The person she had to kill. _But he is trying to help me, maybe I should just give him this too. _

"Thank you…Aang." The words almost felt foreign to her tongue.

Once again, the young boy flashed a great big grin. The small gestures never cease to keep him happy.

"Thanks, Azula. Is there anything else that needs healing?"

Azula bit her lower lip. There were a few others, but she was reluctant to tell Aang about them.

"Nope, that's it." Azula blurted out to Aang, almost a little to assuredly. Sure enough, Aang started chuckling.

"What's so funny?" she shot.

"Man, that's the worst lie I've ever heard you say. Even without earthbending, I can tell your lying!" he chuckled, much to the surprise of Azula. She cursed herself for being so callous, giving an angry glare towards Aang. Rotting away in a cell can really weaken one's intuition, and certainly, the boy's childish demeanor didn't help the situation at all.

"If you must know, they are in places that are off-limits to idiots like you!" She gave Aang the cold shoulder as she turned away from him, facing the wall.

Now it was Aang's turn to be taken aback. He blushed as he thought about the "certain places" that Azula must be talking about. The only other girl that he ever got this close with was Katara, and even then, they only made love twice. He gave a quick cough as he regained his composure, placing a hand on Azula's shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" was the only response he got, but he relented, his hand firm against her shoulder. If he wasn't going to try, who would?

"Please princess, I'll even close my eyes if you want me to." The mention of her title brought a shiver down her spine.

"Absolutely not! And stop calling me that!" she spat back at him. Like a wounded puppy, Aang flinched back at the vicious response. _He should know better than to ask that… _she thought to herself.

Slowly, Aang got to his feet and walked towards the doorway. At least he tried.

"Alright, suit yourself. I'll go make us something to eat then…" he responded resignedly. If asking her too much was bothering her, he might as well not ask her at all. With one more fleeting glance at Azula, Aang trudges out the room.

Normally in a situation like this, Azula would feel proud. She should feel victories in winning. But something was different here. Instead of pride, she suddenly was hit with something she had almost never felt, guilt. _He's just trying to help! _ Her guilty side berated her. Her normally stony expression was replaced with one of troublesome worry. Why was she feeling like this? The old Azula would've called this weakness. Before her conscious side even had a chance to react, she called out after the Avatar.

"Aang! Wait!" Her voice felt needy, desperate. She even shocked herself with such an unusual display of desperation.

In a blaze of orange and yellow, Aang was back in the room, staring at Azula intently.

"Yes, Azula?"

"You…you can heal me…As long as you close your eyes…" was all she could muster, which was barely a whisper. She hated to have to resort to this. Aang was the only feasible healer that could help her at this point.

Aang, realizing the delicacy of the situation, cautiously scooted towards Azula. One wrong step, and a mad fire princess would be breathing fire down his neck. Azula was very scary when she was mad.

"Al-alright..." Aang bent the water out of the bowl, creating those healing gloves again.

"Wait! I'm going to…undresss first…Turn Around!" Why was she doing this? And for Aang no less!

The airbender quickly obliged, spinning around and facing the opposite stone wall.

Pulling at her skimpy clothing, Azula could feel nothing but completely vulnerable. She was rarely ever nude, even when she was changing outfits alone in her room. _I am the fire princess! _She always thought, having always worn some kind of armor or uniform. Slowly, she exposed herself to the chilly air around her, finding it much colder than she would have liked it to be. Gingerly, she laid down on the bed. _Agni! This better be a one time thing! _She hated herself for stooping so low, and also hated Aang for starting it.

"I'm done. You can turn around…But keep your eyes closed!" she snarled at the airbender. "If you so much as peek, I will gouge out your eyes!" That was a threat the old Azula would have used, but this time around, she still meant every word.

"Okay Azula. My eyes are closed," turning and slowly walking over toward the bed. Azula noticed that he was being extra careful not to trip. He didn't want to have any…accidents

He leaned over the edge of the bed feeling for her soft features. He makes contact at her hip, slowly exploring the region to get his bearings. Almost instantly, she flinched slightly. _One false move, and I'm as good as dead,_ Aang thought.

She didn't notice it initially, but she too had closed her eyes. But she chose to keep them closed; she wanted it to be surprising.

When his water glove touched her hip she felt a shock go through her system. On the one hand, it was unlike anything she had felt before, but she didn't want him to stop, because it just felt so…good. _ Maybe this is what I was missing out on, _recalling how she always refused to partake in the royal harem, where men were always present to cater to her every sexual whim. But instead, she refused all the offers, even at the insistence at her father. Even Zuko joined in once for his 14th birthday, a memory that Zuko would all but like to forget. Azula, being the loving sister she is, loved to taunt her brother about it.

She cringed as Aang slowly made his way up her hips and onto her belly. Aang paused on top of her belly, playfully drawing circles with his finger. His hands may have felt cool against her skin, but inside she was on fire. She felt the tingling sensation tear up and down her back and chest as Aang made those rings around her belly. Almost instinctively, she let a moan escape her lips.

Instantly, Aang backed off, leaving Azula wanting more. Clearly, the young Avatar did not know when a girl was enjoying herself.

"Do you…want me to stop?" he paused, still keeping his eyes shut.

This may be so wrong, but at that his point Azula didn't care anymore. She needed more, and Azula always gets what she wants.

"No…keep going… my rib… is fractured…" she gasped between breathes, trying to recover from Aang's last little dance on top her belly.

Almost on cue, Aang returned to his task, repositioning his hands right under her rib. She twitched slightly, flinching from his movements as he slowly dragged his fngers upwards towards her ribs. He painstaking traced his hands over her breasts, forcing another moan out from her mouth. This time though, Aang continued on with his work.

For a monk, this airbender sure knew how to work with his hands.

After a few seconds of feeling around, Aang felt the offending rib, the second to last one on the left. As he moved his arm over, his forearm grazed her nipple, causing her to flinch to the sensation that pulsed through her body. A slight whimper was all she could use for a response.

Even though the Avatar was still oblivious, Azula was having the time of her life.

Instantly, a cooling sensation filled her chest cavity. It only lasted for a few seconds, as Aang quickly patched up the few remaining minor injuries. As gingerly as he stepped in, he pulled his hands off her body.

"I… think I'm done…" he paused as he slowly stood up again and turned around, "You should get changed."

Azula's mind was a haze of lust and feeling. But the Avatar's words quickly snapped her out of it and she quickly tried to give him a logical response, even though her mind was thoroughly jumbled.

"Umm…I'll get changed… You…should make something to eat…I'm starving"

"Good Idea. Just be out when you're ready."

In a blink, Aang dashed out of the room. Slowly regaining her senses, Azula sat up on the bed and quickly put on her outfit again. At least the Avatar knew when to give some personal space. She shook her head as she shifted off the bed. _ Whatever that was, that was really good._

As she stepped out her door, she glanced across the hall into the other room, which was presumably Aang's room. It was very similar, if not identical, to her room. She quickly redirected her attention towards the end of the hallway, where the eating hall was located. _I wonder if a back massage from him would feel just as good… _, but she quickly threw that idea out. It was time to focus again as she made her way down the hall into the dining hall.

To her surprise, a whole set of plates was laid out on the table, each filled to the top with food. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that there was absolutely no meat on the table. Although she was slightly disappointed, she couldn't complain, her growling stomach needed food. She did miss the taste of komodo chicken though.

"It's all vegetarian. I hope you don't mind." The smile returning to his face. "I baked a fruit pie especially for you."

"Thank you Avatar…umm Aang."

There was a lengthy silence as the two ate their food in silence. She did have to admit though, the vegetables were pretty tasty. The fruit pie was equally as enticing, as she scarfed down most of her food. She hadn't had a decent meal like that in years.

"That's not very lady-like, don't you think princess?" a playful grin on Aang's face

"Oh go to hell! And stop calling me that!" she snapped, in between wolfing down mouthfuls of food.

"If you insist, A-zu-la" repeating her name in a sing-song voice. Now he was just messing with her, she levels a scowl towards the Avatar.

"Do you have anything productive to say? If not then shut your trap!" she shot back. She wasn't one to play child codding with the Avatar.

"Actually I do. I was planning to go do some clothes shopping for you tomorrow. Want to go incognito with me?" that playful grin still plastered on his face.

"Is that a date then? Are you asking me out?" This time, it was Azula's turn to play games.

The question elicits its intended response, leaving a flustered Avatar trying to sound out a response.

"No! Why… would it be? Ahehe…" the red color still flushing his cheeks.

"Ah, so you mean I'm not good enough for you? I see how it is." trying to sound as threatening as possible, leaning forward from her chair. She raised an eyebrow at him, seeing what he would do next.

Aang didn't even need that. He was already caught, hook, line, and sinker. The deeper shade of red that painted his face only seemed to worsen his condition.

"Ahhh… I …uhhh… That's not what I meant!" his eyes shifting nervously.

Now it was Azula's turn to laugh, a much darker laugh in that case. It was the kind of laugh that was dark and sinister, an almost ill omen. She eyed the Avatar closely; time to let this little fish go.

"Relax Aang. I was only joking. I'll see you tomorrow then; I need to get some sleep."

And with that, she stepped out of the dining hall, leaving a very confused and flabbergasted Avatar behind.

* * *

"Hey Gramps! What's cookin'?"

As a friend of the Avatar's, Toph was always welcome at the Jasmine Dragon. Particularly, she enjoys spending time speaking with Iroh, who always had a good story and some great tea to go along with it. The blind earthbender made her way to the back room, where Iroh was hard at work with a new concoction.

"Greetings Master Toph! I was just creating a new tea mix! Care to try it out?" Iroh slowly turned around, holding a teacup in his hands. Inside was a pale pink liquid that Toph could smell was very exotic. Taking the cup, Toph took a quick swig of the liquid.

A faint sweet taste greeted her lips as she gulped it down. While there was no aftertaste, the tea left a very sweet tingling sensation throughout her body.

"Man! That was some good stuff Gramps! What's it made from?" taking another drink from the teacup.

"It's actually a very rare flower that's rumored to be a powerful aphrodisiac…" stroking his beard, as if in deep thought.

There was a quick choking sound followed by a gagging noise from the earthbender.

"Oh? You don't like it?" Iroh asked inquisitively, still stroking his beard in thought.

"Jeez Gramps! Give me a warnin' next time!" Toph shouted, pointing accusingly at Iroh, who could do nothing but chuckle at the poor girl's predicament.

"I call it The Lover's Delight," Iroh replied with a slight chuckle, placing a hand on the earthbender's shoulder, "Anyways, there is someplace I must go, and I think you should come with me." his voice quickly changing to a more serious tone, his brow furrowing deep seriousness.

"Well what is it? Spill the mung beans!" Toph stamped inpatiently.

"Caldera City. We have to meet with Fire Lord Zuko." Iroh stated matter-of-factly.

"What's so important that Sparky's gotta call the Gaang into action?" Toph asked eagerly, smacking her fist into her palm for emphasis.

"It's about Azula. She's escaped."

**Author's Note:  
**

**I do believe I was in a half-vegetative state while writing this shebang. Hooray for subconscious writing?  
As requested, I tried to make this chapter a little bit longer :)  
**

**Since I must've been either half-dead or currently have a misguided sense of logic, Azula comes as pretty OOC here, try to bear with me here**

**In other news, Hideaki Anno is a major troll (only those who are currently following the Rebuild of Evangelion series would know what I am talking about)  
**


	4. Chapter 4

The nighttime brought an eerie silence to the Royal Palace, as the daily activities of the day slowly drew to a halt. Save for the few torches lining the room walls, darkness blanketed the Firelord's study, leaving the warm lighting of flames to keep Zuko awake. With sleep heavy in his eyes, he gave a deep sigh staring onward at the dismal state of his desk. There were papers everywhere, strewn across the mahogany colored wood of the desk. Letters, decrees, complaints, demands, it was nothing short of a political storm drawing up on the desk.

Even after five years as the leader of the Fire Nation, Zuko still could not fully grasp the intricacies of politics. Politics is just a simple term for teams of ravenous dogs, vying for the upper hand, and Zuko wanted none of it. He slumped back into his seat, drawing a deep breath, his scruffy black hair hiding the golden eyes peering out from the pallid features of his face, which may have gotten even paler because of the recent events.

"What I would give to have Azula's political tact…" he muttered as he rubbed his temples, shutting his eyes trying to forget the task at hand. The recent events concerned her after all, and Zuko needed to assure the other nations that this was simply a domestic problem. The last thing he needed was the flames of war to be sparked again simply because of one escaped political prisoner, even though it was his sister, one of the most dangerous people in the entire world. But so far, despite his best efforts, the old embers were warming up. He was taking more and more flak every day, particularly from the Earth Kingdom, for not being able to fully contain the situation. Even though it's been five years, some wounds have not fully healed, and nothing could please the victims of war more than to watch the person who brought the most pain and suffering to them brought to justice.

Dejectedly, he dropped his papers back on the desk, refusing to trouble himself with these problems any further. _I need some sleep…_ he nodded to himself in agreement sleepily, as he trudged slowly towards the door of his study. He gave one last glance around his study, reveling at the poor condition of his study. Ever since Katara left on that visit back to her home in the South, Zuko's absorption into the current political situation has left his duties within the palace lacking. After all, Katara had a knack for picking up after him anyways. _I wonder when she'll be back…_ he thought as he slowly made his way out his study toward his chambers…

…stumbling right into his advisor.

"Are you alright, Fire lord Zuko?" a sense of concern showing in the older man's features.

"I'm fine… Just need to rest for a bit…" Zuko replied, rubbing his eyes as he slowly walked past Jee, continuing his slow shambling.

"Finally getting some sleep I see? I'm glad you've come to your senses." Jee replied sarcastically, a slight chuckle at Zuko's expense. For the five years, Jee has watched over the young Fire lord, acting as his confidante, second only to Iroh. His sharp wit and sarcasm always balanced out Zuko's air of darkness, keeping his humors in check. But he was too sleepy in this situation to simply the register the sarcastic response, muttering a sleepy _good night_ as he continued toward his quarters. Approaching the doorway, he gave a deep yawn, as he stumbled past the doorway toward the bed. Zuko was so preoccupied with the sweet revelry of sleep that he did not notice that the door had been left conspicuously half-open, in addition to the crisp night air blowing in from the open window in the room, which had previously had not been open.

Ignoring all these signs, Zuko slipped past the doorway, making his way towards his bed, emptying his mind of all things political, when suddenly, two arms wrapped around his waist, tackling him onto his bed. Almost too drowsy to register the attack, Zuko managed to flip himself facing up on the bed, raising his arms up in defense. But the assailant, masked by the cover of darkness, gripped both of Zuko's wrists pinning him to the bed. A rush of adrenaline rushed into his brain, returning his senses back to him. Readying himself to counter-attack, Zuko tensed his muscles…

…until deep kiss silenced his movements.

Caught off his guard, Zuko immediately relaxed as he recognized the familiar forwardness, feeling her tongue prodding against his, allowing her to explore freely. Zuko shut his eyes, wrapping his arms around her, trailing his fingers down the ridge of her back, eliciting a slight twitch in her movements. Returning the favor, Zuko leaned in closer, embracing her tongue with his own, leaving a swirl of lust and emotion in his wake. Resting his hands squarely on her waist, he gingerly pulled out of the kiss, opening his eyes to finally look at his "assailant".

His golden eyes matched blue as her features were accentuated by the pale beams of moonlight emanating from the windows, a sly smile on her face. Zuko, not one to disregard his love, embraced her, returning to him what he had missed so dearly all these weeks. He buried his head in her hair like he always does, taking in Katara's familiar scent. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity to Zuko, he was content, returning Katara's smile with a slight smile of his own.

"Hey you. I missed you." Katara whispered, keeping her shimmering blue eyes fixated onto Zuko's.

"Hey… I missed you too..." he whispered back sleepily, trying his best to stay awake. He reached up slowly, caressing the gentle curves of her face, "It's great to see your back…now… but I just need… to close my eyes for a bit…" Zuko replied, his voices gradually weakening as he let the sleep claim him. It did not take long before silence permeated the room, leaving Katara with her arms wrapped around the sleeping Firelord.

Her motherly instincts kicking in, she gingerly slid her arms out from under Zuko, shifting his torso so that he was positioned comfortably on the bed. Retrieving the dark red linen sheets that were kicked off the bed in the process, Katara gently billowed the sheets back up and laid them on top of Zuko. It was a scene of complete serenity, betraying the turmoil that previously troubled the young Firelord. With one final kiss on the cheek, Katara let Zuko sleep, tip-toeing her way back to the doorway, shutting the door with a silent _click_.

Exhausted from her journey back to the Palace, Katara made her way back to the room. Slipping out her water tribe traveling garb, she preferred the thin silk pajamas that Zuko that given her when she first moved into the palace. Frankly, she preferred the taste of fire nation clothing, much more comfortable and form fitting, from her traditional water tribe outfit, which was rougher and less comfortable, built more for practicality than comfort. Undoing her hair and letting her locks fall lusciously against her back, she slipped into her bed, reveling at how foreign even her home seemed to be. She gave a slight smirk, remembering her childhood years. _Who would've thought that I would end up like this?_ she wondered, pondering all the feelings and thoughts swirling within her. Letting her thoughts carry her away, she soon found herself drifting deeper and deeper until finally, sleep claimed her as well.

* * *

As dawn breaks across the crystalline clear sky, warm light pours in from the windows, signaling the beginning of a new day. The light fills the room, giving a warm greeting to the Avatar's face. Slowly, Aang returns the greeting, opening his sleep-filled eyes to the world. He gives a quick stretch and yawn, pulling himself up from the bed, reaffirming his surroundings. A slight smiles forms on his face as he recalls last night's antics…

_I really should be more careful around her, _quietly contemplating the current situation as he slipped out of bed. Donning his simple monk robes and grabbing his glider staff, Aang shuffled out of his room, eyeing the doorway leading the room where Azula stayed for the night. If anything, he decided, he should check on her to see is she's doing alright. Pacing towards her room, he reaches the doorway, gingerly peeking into the room…

Only to find the room completely empty.

Troubling thoughts began filling Aang's mind, and as much as he hated to admit it, all of them were possibilities. _I hope she didn't decide to leave, with everyone hunting her down and all. _To his surprise, a sense of worry began to fill his mind, and for the fire princess no less. Perhaps, having put much work into healing Azula back to health, he would hate to see his handiwork go to waste. Turning back out of the room, Aang made his way towards the temple entrance, hoping to find any evidence of the princess' whereabouts.

"Azula! Where are you?" he cried out, reaching the outside entrance of the temple. He glanced around, seeing absolutely no sign of her.

"Right here."

Recognizing that taunting voice, Aang turned towards the source of the voice only to find two blue fireballs hurtling straight for him. The Avatar barely had enough to time to dodge both hits, one of which barely skimming his robes, setting them on fire. With a single brisk motion, Aang put out the flames clawing at his robes, returning his gaze back towards Azula. Lowering into his stance, he could see the fire princess just up ahead, angry blue flames brimming from her hands, a menacing smile on her face. It was the same expression that Aang always saw on Azula while they were battling during the war and as he stared into her golden eyes, he could see her zeal. She was definitely not holding back.

"Azula! What are you doing?! Stop this at once!" his voice firm and demanding. She may have been compliant the day before, but today was another story.

He barely had enough time to finish his sentence before Azula sprang into action, leaping into a forward somersault, directing a downward kick straight towards Aang. With all those years of training, Aang instinctively raised his staff, deflecting the kick, but in the process, Azula managed to catapult herself off his staff, landing squarely behind the Avatar. Without a moment of hesitation, Azula delivers two quick jabs, creating two blue fireballs towards his back. Aang turns in time to raise a solid earthen wall just in time to absorb both blows. With a single motion, Aang sends the wall flying towards Azula.

Azula, not to be outdone, decided to show the Avatar a new trick that she learned. It was a trick she had developed while still fighting during the war, but never took the time out to use it. It was a faster way to generate lightning, and not only that, to project it, almost like a force field, around her, completely deflecting any attacks. It just wasn't her style, though, to fight defensively. Though, she also found it quite handy to have a few new tricks up her sleeve, just to surprise the Avatar. And to Azula, this seemed like the perfect moment.

In one swift, fluid motion, Azula could feel the sense of power surging through her once more as the lightning crackled to life at her fingertips. But instead of releasing it in a line, straight towards Aang, Azula chose to radiate the lightning outward generate a cracking field shield of energy in front of her. Though it required more concentration to hold the shield, it had its intended effect, completely obliterating the earth wall as it made contact.

Azula could see the registered surprise in the Avatar's eyes, as Aang stared, wide-eyed at the princess. _I don't remember her being able to do that…_ Unsurprisingly, Aang's curiosity overtook his thoughts, causing to drop his guard ever so slightly, leaving the perfect opening for Azula to strike.

Dropping the shield, Azula launched another deadly blue fireball straight towards the Avatar's chest. This time though, the fireball caught Aang off his guard. He barely had enough time to draw water out of his waterskin before the fireball struck him directly, knocking him off his feet. With a solid thud, Aang hit the ground and before he could even react, Azula already stood before him, flames poised at her fingers, holding a triumphant smile on her face.

"Azula…why…" his voice questioning, though a tinge of disappointment was present.

"That's a good question Avatar. Why am I sparing you?" her voice filled with a certain coldness that only she could achieve. But true to her response, she dropped her stance, letting the flames dissipate form her hands. She stepped back, giving Aang a chance to get back to his feet. Breathing heavily, Aang slowly clambered back to his feet, eyeing Azula questioningly. She still maintained that slight playful smirk on her face.

"What was that all about?" Aang said, dusting himself off as he bent to pick up his glider staff.

"Just think of it as a sparring session, Avatar, and I have bested you." She said triumphantly, turning around to head back into the temple, "As for why I spared you, I'm famished, and it's about time for breakfast." she said matter-of-factly, back still turned on the Avatar. There was a certain shift in her demeanor that definitely threw Aang for a loop; she was definitely not that vulnerable person that Aang had seen the day before. The Azula he saw yesterday was another side of her, one that she chooses to hide within a shell of steeliness and regal demeanor. Personally, he preferred her better that way. But, there was something different about Azula this time, something that he saw in her eyes. Although she was just as vicious, Aang could tell that she was not the same Azula he fought five years ago. He couldn't figure out exactly what it was, but no matter what it was a moment of realization for Aang. _Maybe Azula can change after all… _he whispered to himself. .

"Avatar! Are you coming or not?" Azula's voice came crashing down on Aang's thoughts, as she stood waiting at the doorway.

"Coming, Azula…"

And with that, Aang drew a deep sigh, straightened his robes one more time, and headed in after Azula.

* * *

With every roll and dip that ship's bow made, Toph could feel her stomach doing barrel rolls. If it hadn't been for her strong sense of companionship she had for the old man, she would've never agreed to get on this dinky boat. The ship lurched forward against the waves, causing her to lose her balance. Before she had a chance to fall though, strong hands reached out and held her in place. At least she could depend on Iroh to keep her upright.

"Wouldn't want the world's greatest earthbender be seen flat on her face." Iroh jested, wide grin visible on his wrinkled face. Toph, not being the one to feel vulnerable, quickly jerked away.

"Well, if it wasn't for your stupid idea to get on this boat, we wouldn't be having this problem now would we?" she replied huffily. Boats. If it's one thing she hated the most, boats would be it.

She steadily grasped the railing of the ship, securing herself to the only solid piece that she could get her hands on. It wasn't even the rocking that she hated the most, it was the feeling of being isolated without contact with the solid earth. At least with some ships, she could sense enough vibrations to "see" the entire ship, but even then she felt truly blind, trapped within that bubble. She would feel vulnerable, and she did not like that feeling at all.

"What's the big idea of taking this boat to the Fire Nation anyway, Gramps?" she muttered, crossing her arms. If she had to stay on this ship any longer, she would puke.

"Well, given the current situation, it's the fastest way we have of getting there…" she replied earnestly, stroking his beard as if suddenly contemplating the idea again. It was a half-lie on Irohs' part, he wanted to see how the world's greatest earthbender would fare in a boat…

"I can't believe Sparky actually decided he has something important to say to us, after all these years." Toph still had fond memories of their adventures five years ago with Zuko. Between working at her metalbending academy and having tea with Iroh, Toph rarely had time to spend time with the Gaang. _Guess it's a good change for once, _she thought.

"And judging by the situation, it's a rather urgent problem." Iroh replied, sighing. He knew that those bars wouldn't be able to hold Azula. Someday, somehow, she would get free.

"So Sparky's deranged bitch of a sister is finally broke herself out... guess it's up to us to stop her again huh?" She turned, giving a grin of confidence to the old man. The old man looked back into the milky white eyes of the young girl that stood before him, slightly troubled by the easiness at Toph's response.

"I hope your right, Toph."

**Author's Note: Wow, I never thought I would end up updating this story. For those of you who actually still care, I deeply apologize, a lot has been happening in my life recently. For those of you that are new here, welcome aboard! **


	5. Chapter 5

Breakfast was relatively uneventful, with Aang mainly switching his focus between staring at his food and staring at Azula, who ate in silence. Aside from the regular glare that Azula returned back towards Aang, the only sound that permeated through the room was the quiet whistling of the wind blowing in from the window. With the calm permeating in the wake of their "battle", Aang leaned forward slightly, resting his head in the palm of his hands, meditating on his current situation.

He could feel his stomach churning in anxiety as he assessed the volatility of his current situation. He was harboring a fugitive, and a dangerous fugitive at that. Practically the entire world was searching for her, and here she was, living with the Avatar in relative solitude. Rubbing his temples in annoyance, Aang realized how delicately he had to treat the situation. Once little slip on his part and the secret may be out, and all-out war over a single person could erupt all over again.

But, they couldn't stay here forever, with the provisions that Aang had gathered previously slowly dwindling. They needed to move, and silently at that. But he knew Azula was a capable women, and with any luck, and suitable disguises, they could travel almost anywhere in relative safety. Five years can lead people to forget things, no matter how important at the time they were.

He drew a deep sigh, registering the dull soreness that tore through his body as he breathed in. Locating the source of the annoyance on the upper left side of his chest, Aang gingerly massaged the affected area, but its angry redness convinced Aang otherwise, eventually resting his hand back on his lap. The five years have been relatively peaceful for Aang, with the rebellions rarely requiring force to calm down. Aang never realized that the lack and lull in training through combat could have such an impact on his skills and his fighting technique. As he recalled the flame filled skirmish he had just partaken in, he could recognize the lack of preciseness in his moves, recreating the images in his head. His stance, sloppy; his movements, lacking fluidity; his clarity in combat; weakened. Giving a another sigh of disappointment, Aang realized that the regular sounds of eating have ceased and he looked up, resting his gray eyes against the piercing golden ones that were staring back into him.

"Oh by all means, don't let me intrude on your brooding." Azula said, rather condescendingly with a smirk on her face. She was staring at the Avatar intently, almost like she was analyzing him, reading his thoughts.

"I just have a lot on my mind."

"It's been a while since someone beat you like that, huh?" Azula read straight through him, reading his thoughts exactly. She was on the offensive, though it was simply just to poke fun at the Avatar.

"If I recall correctly, the person that beat me a while ago was you."

"I like living up to my reputation." she replied matter-of-factly, leaning back on her chair while analyzing her nails for emphasis.

Despite losing her title as princess of the fire nation, she still managed to maintain a sense of pride in her accomplishments during the war. She was in fact the one that killed the Avatar, though it was only for a brief moment. These accolades solidified her rank as a brutally skillful fighter, leaving even the most experienced soldiers quake in the boots under her command. Though her fall was less than graceful, her accomplishments will forever be remembered. She was the one who had beaten a kingdom. She was the one who ruthlessly took down a god, for a minute destroying the last vestiges of hope the good had of winning a one-sided war.

She was a monster.

But that was the past, and although he would like to believe that five years of solitude would change a monster, he was wrong. Once a monster, always a monster. Though the situation was less than optimal for her at the current moment, she was determined to find what she once was.

Turning her attention away from her nails, she redirected her attention towards Aang, who had the strange smile on his face. Azula scowled at the Avatar. Something was up, she figured, judging by Aang's seemingly playful smile.

"What's so funny?" she said accusatorially, leaning forward, placing both hands down on the table for added emphasis.

"Oh, nothing… Just thought of a really interesting idea…" he replied, leaning forward to mimic Azula, his smile expanding into a grin.

"Well what is it? Spit it out."

"Let's go to Caldera City! It's about time you returned to your home." He spoke with sense of finality, kind of what Sokka would do when he was presenting one of his "master" plans.

Although a sense of surprised rushed up her spine, Azula was tactful enough not to let Aang read that on her face. Although the sense of surprise soon rushed off, it was replaced by a sense of disbelief for the Avatar.

"I figured you were naïve, not stupid." she spat back, crossing her arms in disapproval of the idea.

"Wait, hear me out! We're just going to be there for a day or two at most, enough to get some more provisions…" Aang's glance shifted downward, and Azula could tell he was staring at her garb, a simple prison garb from the asylum. For a split second, Azula felt a twinge of self-consciousness, though she was quick to disregard such a frivolous concept, "and a new change of clothes…" he muttered, returning his focus back to Azula.

"And how do you expect me to be unrecognizable? I'm not exactly a forgettable person." she replied questioningly.

"Simple. I have a spare change of air nomad robes, and you can wear that. I'll just say that your one of my new recruits…" that slight smile returned to his face as he whispered the last part of his sentence, barely audible to her. His face soon flushed into a light shade of pink.

"What do you mean by new recruit…" Azula could not be sure about what the young monk meant, but deep down in the pit of her stomach, she could feel that she knew what he meant.

As if on cue, Aang's face flushed an even deeper shade of red as he a nervous grin and chuckle. Bringing up this subject to Katara was one thing, but to Azula? That's just plain suicide. He pressed his hands together, fidgeting slightly.

"Well, you know, to repopulate the air nomad population…"

Aang instantly tensed, cringing and preparing himself for the pain worst pain of his life. He had already raised his arms in defense, hoping that it would defend him against her impending wrath. He could see it already, angry blue flames erupting from the opposite end of the table, all directed toward him. Punches, kicks, he was readying himself for anything, just general pain. But, after one second passed, and nothing, Aang realized that Azula had not even stirred from her seat, and he peered back across the table. Instead of finding Azula seething with anger, she was quite the opposite. Fingers laced behind her head comfortably, leaning back on the seat, she seemed actually quite calm actually, a slight grin on her face.

Admittedly, Azula's heart registered the idea and skipped a beat, but the ensuing reaction from the Avatar was just too good to give up, and she couldn't help but to just smile at her handiwork. She licked her lips hungrily, sensing the fear of the young monk. So after all those years, the Avatar couldn't help but fear the former fire princess, and that pleased Azula to no end.

"If you're wondering why I didn't kill you on the spot, your reaction was too good to pass up. Just knowing that you still fear me is more pleasing than simply killing you." she answered his blank look haughtily. Still enjoying the Avatar's downright confusion unfold before her, she slowly stood up, leaning on the table, resting one of her hands on Aang's shoulder. Almost as if under a spell, Aang stood up, and it slightly surprised Azula that Aang was quite tall, a good 6 inches taller than her.

But before he could respond, Azula dropped down low, delivering a swift sweep kick across the Avatar's legs, dropping him quickly to the ground. Once again, she stood triumphantly above the Avatar, looking down on him as he looked up with a dazed look in his eyes.

"And that was for your comment." she answered his confused look with triumph.

Quickly, Aang clambered back to his feet, giving a slight cough as he dusted off his robes. He eyed Azula curiously, at this point definitely questioning her motives.

"Well… come with me then. I'll let you try on those robes now." His voice still twinged with questioning tone. And with that, he turned, making his way toward his bed chambers to collect that extra pair of robes. With a sigh of accomplishment, Azula silently followed.

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me."

Those are the words that echoed through the office as Zuko relayed the current situation of Azula to Katara, who furrowed her brow in thought as she slowly soaked in the size of the current situation. Lazily leaning on the wall next to the open window, Zuko needed a breather, and the dull golden luster in his eyes seemed to reflect the situation. For Katara, too much has occurred while she was gone, and she was not informed of any of it.

"Why did you tell me about any of this?" she shot towards Zuko , feeling indignant about being left out of the loop about Zuko's current state of affairs.

"Well, I didn't want to bother you about it." he replied, a sense of genuine concern in his voice. Rarely was there time for Katara to return home to visit her family, and Zuko did not want to drag his problems on top of her.

"Zuko, I didn't choose to stay with you just because I love you. I chose to stay because you need a companion, someone to help you out…" her voice quavered, feeling the words flow slowly off the tip of her tongue, gently resting her hand on his shoulders. She could feel the built up tension in Zuko's muscles, and she felt that it was her duty to relieve him of some of the burden.

"That's good to know Katara," turning to face her, placing a hand on top of hers' for emphasis, "but this is all my fault, my fault that she got out. Now it's my job to make things right again." There was a hardness to his voice that made Katara not wanted to pursue the subject any longer. Fortunately, she was not given the chance, when a knock that the door broke the conversation between the two.

"Enter."

Unsurprisingly, it was Jee at the door, briskly walking in. He gave a quick, curt nod to Katara, muttering a quick, "my lady..." in her direction as he proceeded towards Zuko. After another quick bow in front of Zuko, Jee finally was able to get to the matter at hand.

"Sir, Toph and Iroh have arrived to the Palace from Ba Sing Se as per your instructions. They await for you in the main hall."

"Excellent. Thank you Jee."

With another quick bow, Jee turned around swiftly, giving Katara another quick nod before leaving the study, closing the doors with a barely audible _click_. With only the two of them left in the room, Katara waltzed over to Zuko, quickly rustling his long hair with her hand. With a slight grin, she ran her hands down his back all the way to his hands, firmly grasping it.

"So, shall we?" she asked, a warm smile on her face. Leave it to Katara to soothe all of Zuko's troubles away with one simple smile. Zuko could already feel the load on his shoulder lighten ever so slightly as he held her hand tightly, returning that smile.

"Yeah, let's go."

Exiting the study and making their way towards the main hall, Zuko couldn't help but think about how long it has been since he had last talked to his uncle. Ever since his acceptance of the position of Firelord, Zuko had wished that Iroh would stay at the Palace, teaching him the ways of successfully rebuilding a nation.

But Iroh simply declined the young Firelord's offer. When asked why, Iroh simply smiled and told him, "Dear nephew, I would love to help you. But like the sun, my life has already passed its' peak. It is time for new player's to take the stage, to shape the world as they see fit." When Iroh saw the nervousness in the young Firelord's eyes, he simply chuckled and gave a reassuring pat on Zuko's shoulder, "Rest assured Zuko, if you ever need someone to talk to, a warm cup of tea is always waiting for you at the Jasmine Dragon."

That was nearly five years ago, and despite Zuko's inital nervousness of taking on the full responsibilities of Firelord, things have went better than he first expected. With the help of Aang, many of loose ends and diplomatic issues of the aftermath of the war were closed up. Talks of trade with the four nations restarted again, and for the first time, Zuko was looking at the beginnings of peace.

After Azula broke out of the asylum, chaos broke out, and almost overnight, the peace that Zuko had long wished would happen halted to a standstill. Even after two weeks of reassuring the other nations that they had everything under control, the other nations, particularly, the Earth Kingdom, were in complete uproar, and Zuko was looking at a more and more hopeless situation. Only with a disaster like this did Zuko finally sound the bell for help, and Iroh was more than willing to lend a hand.

Reaching the brightly lit floor of the main hall, Zuko and Katara made their way towards the two familiar figures standing at the center of the hall. Without a moment of hesitation, Katara's face lit up as she ran over to the earthbender girl, giving her a warm hug.

"Toph! It's been forever!" her happiness brimming to the top in her words.

"Hey, Sugar Queen. Nice to see you too." the blind girl replied happily, a wide smile on her face.

"My, My, Toph! You've grown so much since I've last seen you!"

"Yeah, well, the years have been good to me." she replied with a grin. Pulling back from the hug, Toph turned her attention to Zuko, walking over to the young Firelord and giving him a quick jab in the arm. Naturally, Zuko flinched, pulling his arm back, rubbing the area in slight pain.

"Hey Sparky! Having some sibling trouble I hear?"

"Ow! Do you always have to do that?" Zuko cried indignantly.

" 'Fraid so Sparky. Now, Gramps here told me about your sister problems. My question is: When do we get to beat her sorry ass again?" she emphasized the "beat" by smacking her fist into her palm.

"I believe the better question is: Where can we find her?" Iroh calmly said, stroking his beard gently as he stared at Zuko.

"Aang went out searching for her about two weeks ago..." Zuko replied, his words deeply troubled by the gravity of what followed next, "we haven't heard from him since." he finished gravely.

"Oh come on Sparky, if anything Twinkletoes can hold his own against your deranged sister!" she replied confidently, "We should probably contact Aang. I mean finding a flying bison can't be that difficult right?" she asked no one in particular in the room, though the meaning of her words were clear to the other three in the room.

"It's a start. I'll send some scouts out to look for Aang. With any luck we'll find him." Zuko answered briskly, the firmness in his voice somewhat assuring everyone in the room, "In the meantime, you two should stay at the Palace for now, just in case things get worse." he directed towards Iroh and Toph, who both nodded their approval.

Within a few moments, a few servants came through the hall to direct Toph and Iroh to their rooms, while Toph was busy explaining to Iroh the intricacies of metalbending. As the two left the main hall, their voices faded into the hallway, leaving another silent moment as Zuko and Katara were left in the hall. Drawing a sharp breath, Zuko looked up at Katara, who returned the stare with zeal. Despite, the foreboding that Zuko felt of the issues to come, Zuko couldn't help but feel at ease around Katara.

Feeling his shoulders slump, he gave Katara a weak smile as he moved in close to give her a warm embrace. Melding his heat into hers, Zuko felt truly content as he nuzzled his head against Katara's, feeling the unique bond between them that the two shared. For a moment, he felt the love that he had missed growing up. For a moment, he found a place of serenity that could draw him away from his troubles instantly.

For a moment, he felt complete.

**A/N: What a surprise! I actually manage to finish a chapter early! *confetti* Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I'd also like to take the time out to thank a special someone (I'm sure your reading this!). Honestly, if it were not for her, this story may have never moved forward, and for that, I say thank you! I love you with all my heart. **


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